On 15 February 2016 the rebels suffered another series of territorial losses at the hands of government forces and Syrian Kurds.

The Kurds took Tall Rifat – one of the three towns that had been remaining in the rebels’ hands in their northern enclave. They also took the village of Ayn Deqna.

The Assad’s forces took villages of Kafr Naseh and Ahras.

The northern enclave of the rebels is cut from the rest of the rebels’ territory and faces destruction. Turkey, however, has stated it will not allow the fall of the enclave’s most significant town of Azaz into the Kurdish hands.

On 13 February 2016 Syrian government forces took village Tannurah, north-west of Aleppo city from the rebels, which brings closer complete encirclement of the rebel-controlled part of Aleppo city by the government forces.

In another development, Assad’s forces launched advance from Ithriya in the direction of Ar Raqqah – the capital of Daesh [ISIS]. USA, Saudi Arabia and UAE plan to step up their involvement in the Syrian war and, in cooperation with their Syrian allies, take the Daesh-controlled territory, including Raqqah. The Assad’s forces are now trying to be first on the spot in the Raqqah area.

On 3 February 2016 Syrian regime forces broke through the rebels’ siege lines surrounding the regime-aligned Shia villages of Nubl and Zahraa. The two villages had been under siege for about 3 years.

The Assad forces’ success has also cut one of the rebels’ supply routes to the part of Aleppo city under the rebel control. The rebel forces in Aleppo city are still not surrounded, but their situation has just become considerably more difficult.

On 1 February 2016 Syrian government captured village Hardatnin from the rebels. The village is located about 10 kilometers north of Aleppo.

Apparently, Syrian regime forces are trying to break the siege of Shia villages Nubl and Zahraa. With the capture of Hardatnin, regime forces have come within 5 kilometers of the siege lines at Zahraa.